Doc’s Sports Service has been one of the leaders in the sports selection industry for well over four decades. We have stayed on top for so long by providing our loyal customers with a steady stream of winning picks for all the major sports. A perfect example has been this year’s college football season, which has been one of our most profitable runs in recent memory. A good deal of our success and longevity revolves around the commitment to surrounding ourselves with some of the best handicappers in the business. A perfect example would be an ongoing seven-year relationship with Raphael Esparza. Formally known as the Vegas Sports Informer, Raphael honed his handicapping skills during a long and illustrious career working behind the counter of some of the biggest sportsbooks in Las Vegas, including the position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Grand's Aria. While he has recently retired from the sportsbook industry, Raphael remains hard at work sourcing inside information from vast network of contacts in Las Vegas to tighten the edge on all the selections he releases. This ‘insider’s edge’ has been responsible for producing a consistent winning record for a wide array of sporting events.

Doc’s Sports has gained exclusive access to this ‘insider’s edge’ through a series of weekly discussions with Raphael designed to uncover valuable insight into the hottest trending topics in the sports gaming industry today. He continues to prove time and time again that working and living in the undisputed sports gambling capital of the world has helped him become one of the top handicappers in the game.

Doc’s Sports: This past Sunday was one of the wildest weeks in the NFL this season with the favorites covering against the spread in 10 of the 16 games. Can you give us a few of your takeaways from last week’s action?

RE: My top takeaway is that New England is not going all that far in the playoffs without Rob Gronkowski in the lineup. He is just too big of factor to replace with the other players the Patriots have on their current roster. I was also impressed with how the home teams stepped up last Sunday. Teams such as San Francisco, New Orleans and Denver all came through when they needed to the most.

Doc’s Sports: We have already covered your thoughts on the NFC East and NFC North Division races, so turning to the South, does this past Sunday night’s dominant win over Carolina give the Saints the inside edge to win the title, or is this race coming down to the wire as well?

RE: Even if the Panthers even the score with a win in Week 16 when the two meet again in Carolina, I believe New Orleans still holds the tiebreaker with a better conference record as long as it does not trip up in either of its other two games.

Doc’s Sports: Turning to college football, the stage is set for this season’s final BCS Championship Game before the NCAA switches to a four-team playoff. From what you have seen from both Florida State and Auburn, can you give us your initial thoughts on which way you are leaning in this matchup?

RE: Florida State may be the more talented team, but Auburn has been battle-tested with a much tougher schedule, which gives the Tigers a solid edge as eight- to nine-point underdogs in this matchup. I am not sure Auburn will win this game straight up, but I think the current spread is a bit of a gift as far as the Tigers’ chances to cover.

Doc’s Sports: You had been touting Arizona pretty heavily since the start of the new college basketball season. Now that the Wildcats have risen to the No. 1 spot in the country, do you think they have what it takes to maintain this success all the way to a national title?

RE:The main thing I like about Arizona’s chance to compete at a high level all season long is its overall team depth. The Wildcats have already gotten quite of bit of production from their bench, and this should only continue once play in the Pac-12 starts up.

Doc’s Sports: The FIFA held is draw this past Friday for this upcoming summer’s World Cup. What are your thoughts on the United States’ chances to advance out of their group to the knockout round against teams such as Ghana, Germany and Portugal?

RE: The US definitely got the short end of the stick in this draw as it this could be the toughest group on the board. The key to having any chance at advancing is to get some early points against a team like Ghana even if they do not win the game. However; even if that is the case, moving forward to the knockout round is going to be an extremely difficult task.

Click here to visit Raphael Esparza’s Insider’s Page at Doc’s Sports for more information on his amazingly-profitable sports handicapping picks. Also, get $60 worth of Esparza’s member’s picks absolutely free – no obligation, no sales people – you don’t even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit for any sport Esparza handicaps. Click here for $60 worth of free picks from Raphael Esparza. Follow him on Twitter @VSIDocsports